Users of industrial molded case circuit breakers are increasingly demanding that additional functions over and above traditional overcurrent circuit protection be incorporated in the circuit breakers. To meet this demand, manufacturers have developed a line of accessory devices, such as shunt trips, undervoltage releases, bell alarms, lockouts, etc., for incorporation in their circuit breakers. While these accessory devices are relatively simple in design, it is often quite difficult to package these devices within the breaker case, principally because of space limitations and assembly difficulties. This is particularly so in the smaller breaker frame sizes. As a consequence, it is not uncommon to find industrial molded case circuit breakers being assembled on virtually a shop order basis when they are to be equipped with one or more accessory functions.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide improved mounting provisions for physically and operationally incorporating an accessory function within the molded case of a multi-pole circuit breaker.
An additional object is to provide improved accessory mounting provisions of the above character, wherein an accessory device can be readily mounted within a circuit breaker case in a simple and expeditious manner.
Yet another object is to provide an improved accessory assembly which does not require special or additional fastening elements in mounting the accessory assembly within a breaker case.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker accessory assembly capable of being retrofitted in an "off the shelf" molded case circuit breaker in a simple and economical fashion.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.